H.R. 8879

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8879 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8879

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 24, 2026

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business 
and Entrepreneurship

_______________________________________________________________________

AN ACT

To amend the Small Business Act to require a report on small business 
concern participation in a covered contracting programs, and for other 
purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Oversight and Transparency for Small 
Business Certifications Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. REPORT ON SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN PARTICIPATION IN A COVERED 
CONTRACTING PROGRAMS.

Section 10(c) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 639(c)) is 
amended to read as follows:
``(c) Certification Reports.--
``(1) In general.--Along with the submission to Congress of 
the budget of the President for each fiscal year pursuant to 
section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, the 
Administrator shall submit a report on small business concern 
participation in a covered contracting program during the year 
covered by the report that includes the following:
``(A) The total number of unique small business 
concerns certified for participation in a covered 
contracting program.
``(B) With respect to applications of small 
business concerns for participation in a covered 
contracting program--
``(i) the total number of applications for 
participation that have sufficient information 
for the Administrator to issue a certification 
determination, disaggregated by--
``(I) the number of applications 
certified for each covered contracting 
program; and
``(II) the number of applications 
for which a determination has not been 
made for any covered contracting 
program;
``(ii) the number of applications for 
certification for two or more covered 
contracting programs and the percentage of 
total applicants that received two or more 
certifications;
``(iii) the number of applications received 
through the single, unified platform 
established by the Administrator for receipt of 
certification applications; and
``(iv) the number of small business 
concerns certified for participation in a 
covered contracting program for which such 
certification documentation is contain in a 
system other than the platform described in 
clause (iii), disaggregated by covered 
contracting program.
``(C) With respect to applications of small 
business concerns for certification as a small business 
concern owned and controlled by service-disabled 
veterans that have sufficient information for the 
Administrator to issue a certification determination--
``(i) the number of applications certified;
``(ii) the number of applications denied; 
and
``(iii) the number of applications for 
which a determination has not been made.
``(D) With respect to each application of a small 
business concern for certification as a small business 
concern owned and controlled by service-disabled 
veterans, the timeframe between the date of submission 
of a completed application and the issuance of a 
certification or recertification determination, 
disaggregated by--
``(i) the number, expressed as a 
percentage, of certification determinations 
made within the timeframe established by the 
Administration;
``(ii) the average time for a first-time 
applicant to receive a certification 
determination; and
``(iii) the average time for an applicant 
that is a small business concern owned and 
controlled by service-disabled veterans to 
receive a recertification determination.
``(E) With respect to applications of small 
business concerns for certification as a small business 
concern owned and controlled by women that have 
sufficient information for the Administrator to issue a 
certification determination--
``(i) the number of applications certified;
``(ii) of the applications described in 
clause (i), the number certified that are 
eligible for award of a sole source contract 
under section 8(m)(7);
``(iii) the number of applications 
certified that were processed by a national 
certifying entity described in section 
8(m)(2)(E);
``(iv) the number of applications denied; 
and
``(v) the number of applications for which 
a determination has not been made.
``(F) Of the applications described in subparagraph 
(E)(ii), the number of such applications that initially 
did not include sufficient information for the 
Administrator to issue a certification determination.
``(G) With respect to each application of a small 
business concern for certification as a small business 
concern owned and controlled by women, the timeframe 
between the date of submission of a completed 
application and the issuance of a certification or 
recertification determination, disaggregated by--
``(i) the number, expressed as a 
percentage, of certification determinations 
made within the timeframe established by the 
Administration;
``(ii) the average time for a first-time 
applicant to receive a certification 
determination;
``(iii) the average time for an applicant 
that is a small business concern owned and 
controlled by women to receive a 
recertification determination; and
``(iv) the average time for an applicant 
certified by a national certifying entity to 
receive a determination from the Administrator, 
disaggregated by initial certification 
applications and recertification applications.
``(H) With respect to applications of small 
business concerns for certification as a qualified 
HUBZone small business concern that have sufficient 
information for the Administrator to issue a 
certification determination--
``(i) the number of applications certified;
``(ii) the number of applications denied; 
and
``(iii) the number of applications for 
which a determination has not been made.
``(I) With respect to each application of a small 
business concern for certification as a qualified 
HUBZone small business concern, the timeframe between 
the date of submission of a completed application and 
the issuance of a certification or recertification 
determination, disaggregated by--
``(i) the number, expressed as a 
percentage, of certification determinations 
made within the timeframe established by the 
Administration;
``(ii) the average time for a first-time 
applicant to receive a certification 
determination; and
``(iii) the average time for an applicant 
that is a qualified HUBZone small business 
concern to receive a recertification 
determination.
``(2) Covered contracting program defined.--In this 
subsection, the term `covered contracting program' means 
contracting assistance provided by the Administrator under 
following:
``(A) Section 8(a).
``(B) Section 8(m).
``(C) Section 31.
``(D) Section 36.''.

Passed the House of Representatives June 23, 2026.

Attest:

KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

Clerk.